Share this:

Like this:

As I was folding my son’s pajamas and t-shirts the other day I turned on the TV and settled on a silly chick flick that I figured would help pass the time a little. I usually don’t expect much in terms of meaningful dialogue from a movie like this one, but something a character said caught my attention.

In one scene, a woman told her friend that she had finally gotten “all that she had ever wanted.” As I folded the clothes into neat piles in front of me, I wondered if I could really say that I have all I could ever want.

Because the truth is, I spend a lot of time thinking about what I want and how to get it. And some of the things that I spend time wanting are good things like a home with a bigger back yard, another child or blessings for my husband and son. But often the things I want are really trivial things like a new purse or iPad or jogging stroller. Not necessarily bad things, but not worth the time I spend plotting how to get them.

A few days later it was Mother’s Day. And as I sat in church and listened to amazing music and a completely inspiring message for moms, which was in no way a cheesy mom sermon, I realized that I really do have all I could ever want.

I have a husband who loves me, a son who brings me joy, a home that keeps us warm and dry, clothes on my back, food on my table. I have all I could ever want.

And I guess that’s the meaning of contentment. If all the great things that I just listed are all that are to be for my life, I’ll be OK. If the buck stops here, I can deal with that.

I don’t think that means I have to stop wanting the good things. But if we don’t get to move to a house with a big backyard, OK. If we aren’t blessed with another child, OK. If I don’t get to write a book and go on a book tour, OK. Not getting some of these things might hurt, but I’ll make it.

I can be content with my life if I choose to be because God has blessed me with all I could ever want. I won’t stop asking him for the good things, but it’s time to stop thinking so much about the not-so-meaningful things. For me, being content takes some work, but it’s worth it because contentment is what I really want.

Share this:

Like this:

“The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.”

See the faithfulness of divine love. You observe that this woman had daily necessities. She had herself and her son to feed in a time of famine; and now, in addition, the prophet Elijah was to be fed too. But though the need was threefold, yet the supply of meal wasted not, for she had a constant supply. Each day she made calls upon the barrel, but yet each day it remained the same. You, dear reader, have daily necessities, and because they come so frequently, you are apt to fear that the barrel of meal will one day be empty, and the cruse of oil will fail you. Rest assured that, according to the Word of God, this shall not be the case. Each day, though it bring its trouble, shall bring its help; and though you should live to outnumber the years of Methuselah, and though your needs should be as many as the sands of the seashore, yet shall God’s grace and mercy last through all your necessities, and you shall never know a real lack. For three long years, in this widow’s days, the heavens never saw a cloud, and the stars never wept a holy tear of dew upon the wicked earth: famine, and desolation, and death, made the land a howling wilderness, but this woman never was hungry, but always joyful in abundance. So shall it be with you. You shall see the sinner’s hope perish, for he trusts his native strength; you shall see the proud Pharisee’s confidence totter, for he builds his hope upon the sand; you shall see even your own schemes blasted and withered, but you yourself shall find that your place of defence shall be the munition of rocks: “Your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure.” Better have God for your guardian, than the Bank of England for your possession. You might spend the wealth of the Indies, but the infinite riches of God you can never exhaust.

Share this:

Like this:

“His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

The mental pressure arising from our Lord’s struggle with temptation, so forced his frame to an unnatural excitement, that his pores sent forth great drops of blood which fell down to the ground. This proves how tremendous must have been the weight of sin when it was able to crush the Saviour so that he distilled great drops of blood! This demonstrates the mighty power of his love. It is a very pretty observation of old Isaac Ambrose that the gum which exudes from the tree without cutting is always the best. This precious camphire-tree yielded most sweet spices when it was wounded under the knotty whips, and when it was pierced by the nails on the cross; but see, it giveth forth its best spice when there is no whip, no nail, no wound. This sets forth the voluntariness of Christ’s sufferings, since without a lance the blood flowed freely. No need to put on the leech, or apply the knife; it flows spontaneously. No need for the rulers to cry, “Spring up, O well;” of itself it flows in crimson torrents. If men suffer great pain of mind apparently the blood rushes to the heart. The cheeks are pale; a fainting fit comes on; the blood has gone inward as if to nourish the inner man while passing through its trial. But see our Saviour in his agony; he is so utterly oblivious of self, that instead of his agony driving his blood to the heart to nourish himself, it drives it outward to bedew the earth. The agony of Christ, inasmuch as it pours him out upon the ground, pictures the fulness of the offering which he made for men. Do we not perceive how intense must have been the wrestling through which he passed, and will we not hear its voice to us? “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Behold the great Apostle and High Priest of our profession, and sweat even to blood rather than yield to the great tempter of your souls.